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Traffic Robbers On The Rampage As Lagos Collapsed Bridge Causes Gridlock

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Armed men have started seizing the opportunity of the gridlock being caused by the collapsed section of the Ijora-Olopa Bridge in Lagos to dispossess unsuspecting motorists and passers-by of their valuables.

It was earlier reported that a portion of the bridge caved in on Tuesday and traffic was quickly diverted to the other lane. The diversion led to gridlock on the road.

It was gathered that hoodlums had been attacking motorists inside the gridlock, especially towards the evening. The miscreants target their victims’ phones, money, and other valuables.

An eyewitness, who did not want his name mentioned because of fear of victimization, said some hoodlums attacked a lady in the traffic with a knife and dispossessed her of her belongings on Wednesday.

He said other victims were saved by some soldiers who were passing by at the time of the attack.

The source said, “A lady was robbed yesterday (Wednesday) night. She was in her car and the armed robbers pulled out a knife to frighten her, and unfortunately, she was dispossessed of her belongings on the spot.

“The robbers used the knife to injure her on the face and she was soaked in blood.

“Four armed robbers in a tricycle also attempted to rob a man, but the attack was foiled because some soldiers were passing by. The robbers fled the scene on sighting the soldiers.”

Another road user, while corroborating the source’s claim, called for more caution while plying the road.

He also called on the government to speed up the rehabilitation work on the collapsed section.

“There is a need for total repair of the bridge. When walking or driving on the bridge, one must also be conscious so as not to be robbed,” he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached for comment on Thursday as calls made to his mobile phone rang out and a message sent to his telephone had yet to be responded to as of the time this report was filed.

But when contacted, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area ‘C’ Command, Surulere, Adedeji Afolarin, who spoke with PUNCH Metro, on Thursday, assured residents and motorists in the area that proper action would be taken.

“There is no problem. Thank you for the information. I will get across to the DPO that covers that area and necessary action will be taken,” Afolarin said.

An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps seen on the bridge told our correspondents that the affected section had been cordoned off and manned by officers to avert any danger for road users by directing them to the alternate routes.

He said, “Motorists that usually ply this road are being directed to take Iganmu Bridge. For motorists going towards Apapa, you just need to follow through Iddo. From Iddo, you move to Costain and from Costain to Iganmu Bridge and then straight down to Apapa. That is the only way for now.

“We have been here since we received the call on Tuesday, redirecting motorists who are unaware of the collapse to take alternative roads. You can see that we have demarcated the entire bridge from usage. This bridge collapsed on Tuesday between 9.30 am and 10 am.”

Meanwhile, our correspondents saw some engineers drafted to the scene to assess the situation.

The engineers, however, could not confirm when rehabilitation would commence on the collapsed bridge.

When approached, one of them said, “We don’t know yet when rehabilitation will start. We learned about it yesterday (Wednesday).

“We have only come here to assess the cause of the collapse and take the report back to the office.

“It is after this that we will know when work will begin. But for now, we are only observing and measuring the cause. We cannot say when construction will start.”

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency’s spokesperson, Mrs. Maryam Sanusi, could not be immediately reached as of the time this report was filed.

But the Federal Government on Wednesday directed the immediate closure of the bridge “following the discovery that some miscreants have tampered with the major reinforcement elements of the deck from underneath which led to the failure of a section of the Bridge along Ijora Olopa Road, beside Water Corporation, Ijora.”

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, in a Press Statement signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, Hakeem Bello, identified the failed section as the Ijora-Olopa inward Ijora-Oloye–Apapa.

According to the statement, roads leading directly to the bridge such as Costain inward Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge descent inward Ijora Oloye have, as a result, been closed to traffic.

 

Credit: The Punch

BIG STORY

“My NGO Account Has Been Hacked, N160Million Diverted” — VeryDarkMan

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Popular activist and social critic, VeryDarkMan, has raised concerns about the hacking of his NGO account, which led to the diversion of N160 million.

In a video shared on his verified Instagram account on Friday, he revealed that the incident had left him feeling distressed in recent days.

He explained that the funds were stolen after hackers allegedly gained access to the NGO’s website. The compromised account, which initially contained N180 million, now holds only N20 million.

He mentioned that law enforcement agencies had tracked one of the suspects, resulting in an arrest.

To address the situation, he stated that the NGO’s app had been temporarily taken offline for maintenance to prevent further vulnerabilities.

He said, “For the past few days, I’ve not been myself. I am here with Officer Joe, and we are going to Jos. NGO money—somebody stole the money. Somebody hacked into the NGO website, and I don’t know how they did it. N180 million is missing, but thank God we have tracked the person, and we are on our way to Jos.

“They have arrested one person, and that is why I’m even saying it now. I’m excited, and the account has been put on PND. The account now has N20 million, while N160 million has been diverted to another account. We are currently going there to see how we can get the money back. I just want to update you people.

“I even had to shut down the app and put it on maintenance so that people will not really see what is going on, but let me just come out plain and tell everyone what is going on. Hopefully, we will get the money back.”

The NGO, which launched in October, gained significant attention after raising over N21 million within 24 hours of its inception.

The initiative, aimed at transforming Nigeria’s public education system, attracted support from prominent figures, including music producer Don Jazzy.

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BIG STORY

Christmas Celebrations: Police Arrest 23 Suspected Armed Robbers, Hoodlums, Kidnapper, Recover Dangerous Weapons [PHOTOS]

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  • As IGP Commends Officers For Vigilance, Commitment To Safety

 

In furtherance of the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., to commands and formations to emplace unalloyed anti crime strategies towards ensuring adequate safety and security during this festive period, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force across several states in the country have successfully apprehended multiple groups of armed robbers, cultists and hoodlums targeting fun seekers and engaging in gangsterism during Christmas celebrations.

On the 25th of December 2024, at about 1am, the police operatives attached to Lagos State Command, received a distress call that a group of hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons was operating around the Safejo area of Amukoko, Lagos State. The swift response by the police operatives to the scene led to the arrest of 3 of the suspected hoodlums identified as Emmanuel Okoli ‘m’, 20 years, Ogunde Tejiri ‘m’, 20 years, and Emmanuel Orji ‘m’, 18 years, and also the recovery of the weapons they had used in carrying out robbery attacks on innocent funseekers in the area. The police have emplaced intensified searches to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.

In a similar development, Police Operatives attached to Saminaka Division of the Kaduna State Command on 25th December 2024, at about 8pm, successfully apprehended one Sule Muhammad ‘m’, 25 years, who has been actively involved in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Saminaka area. Further investigation led to the recovery of a fabricated AK-47 rifle from the suspect. The suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious kidnapping gang who had been evading arrest since the arrest of other gang members on August 16, 2024, until his recent arrest on 25th December 2024. Following cooperation received from Muhammad, efforts are in top gear to apprehend other members of his gang and recover more arms and ammunition in their identified camp. Commendable efforts of the Nigeria Police Operatives have also been witnessed in states including Delta, Ogun Katsina, Benue, FCT and Imo, leading to the arrests of several suspects in various locations during the Christmas celebration period.

The IGP has commended the officers involved in these operations for their vigilance and commitment to public safety, highlighting their display of exemplary dedication in safeguarding our communities, especially during this joyful season. The IGP urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

The IGP further assures citizens that the Force is fully committed to creating a safe environment for everyone as they partake in the joy and cheer of the holiday season. As the celebrations continue, the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its mission to protect all citizens and ensure that the spirit of festivities during this period remains unmarred by criminal activities.

 

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS,

ABUJA.

27TH DECEMBER 2024.

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BIG STORY

Road To 2027: We’ll Ensure APC Gets Less Than 15k Votes — Kwankwaso

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Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano state, stated that the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) will reduce the influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with party stakeholders in Tsanyawa LGA of the state, Kwankwaso mentioned that the NNPP aims to ensure the APC receives fewer than 15,000 votes in the 2027 elections.

In the 2023 governorship election, the NNPP garnered 1,019,602 votes, the APC secured 890,705 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third with 15,957 votes.

Kwankwaso emphasized that the NNPP achieved the “remarkable feat” of over one million votes despite being a new political platform and starting its campaign late.

“Now, it’s our turn to diminish APC’s influence. We will work tirelessly to ensure their votes are reduced to less than 15,000 in Kano come 2027,” Kwankwaso stated.

Kwankwaso, who was the NNPP’s presidential candidate in 2023, urged his supporters to stay united and focused to ensure the party’s success in future elections.

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